1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a fish processing machine for processing decapitated fish trunks having an abdominal cavity open on the ventral side, said machine comprising a conveyor with at least one saddle-like supporting member having a supporting surface for supporting the fish trunks in the abdominal cavity and for conveying the same with the tail end leading, and an auxiliary saddle for initially supporting the fish trunks.
2. Prior Art
An arrangement of this type is known from DE-PS 12 39 827. This document discloses a filleting arrangement for decapitated fish trunks, in which a conveyor with supporting saddle-members is used for the fish to be processed. The supporting members are each provided with a rounded horn or projection pointing in the direction of movement, and with a supporting surface. The fish trunks to be processed have an opening in their abdominal cavities on the ventral side. Each fish is positioned with its abdominal cavity placed on the supporting member in such a way that the tail is leading in the direction of movement, the fish is supported on the inner side of the ribs or on the lateral vertebral appendages and the end of the abdominal cavity rests against the horn of the supporting member.
According to one specific embodiment disclosed in this prior art document, this should occur automatically on transferring of the fish from a stationary horn arranged in the feeding area directly above the path described by the supporting member's surface on which the fish trunk has previously been placed in the manner described above. In this way, the end of the abdominal cavity projects into the path of the supporting member's supporting surface, so that the transfer of a fish trunk placed on the stationary horn is effected by means of the supporting member when the latter's horn rests against the abominal cavity end of the fish.
The quality of fillets obtained on using this arrangement is impaired, in that the fillet meat in the region of the abdominal cavity end is contaminated with blood which seeps into the flesh and is thus virtually impossible to remove. This is caused by the horn being pressed with such force against the abdominal cavity end as a result of the processing and guidance resistances, that blood from the portion of the blood stream located behind the vertebrae on the side of the abdominal cavity is pressed into the meat. This is not acceptable for reasons of appearance and hygene.